Oak Ridge High School’s varsity girls basketball team begins pre-season play next week, taking to the court for the first time after winning last year’s state championship upset over the longtime dominant Long Beach Polytechnic.

With several strong players returning this year, the team has the means to go far — perhaps even another trip to States. But it won’t be without hard work and the development of new strategies to make up for last year’s graduation of one of the most standout players in the nation.

Oak Ridge lost one of their all-time greatest female athletes last year with the graduation of Sara James. The 5-foot-10 shooting guard averaged 34 points and seven assists per game, all while capturing the hearts of fans and the attention of college recruiters.

James is currently in her introductory season for the Stanford Cardinals, where she was offered a scholarship before rising to the No. 18 recruit in the nation. The team opened their season with a victory over Rutgers Friday, Nov. 14.

Despite the outstanding performances James put in game after game, Oak Ridge’s girls have always played strongest as a team, continuing to dominate games with their star player on the bench.

“Sara was an outstanding player,” White said Monday in an interview with Village Life. “We’re going to have to get that same production by committee.

“Any given day we have three-to-five players who have the ability to score 20 points in a game, but that’s not going to happen every time with any one of them, he said.”

There is some star power left with returning players. Now a senior, Carly Bettencourt averaged 15 points, 10 assists and six steals per game last year. Natalie Stone and Dakota McLarnan were also major contributors.

CARLY BETTENCOURT was one of Oak Ridge's top scorers last year. Mother Lode News file photo by Megan Jeremica

White and the Trojans got a firsthand glimpse at the team’s strengths and weaknesses Saturday, Nov. 20 with scrimmages against Clovis West, Del Oro and Kennedy. The teams split up and worked both half and full-court tactics.

“Our overall performance was very raw,” White said. “There were some good moments, but we’re focusing on areas that need improvement and further strategizing. It’s going to take work to get us playing as a team.”

In addition to reworking team strategy, Oak Ridge players have some healing to do … literally.

“We’re a little beat up right now,” White said. “Three players are out with injuries, all on post. We’ve got to get healthy before we can be competitive.”

The Lady Trojans hit the court for the first time Monday, Nov. 29, to face off with the girls from Rocklin, who went 9-16 last season. While he sounded confident in his team’s ability to win, he admitted anything could happen.

“First games are always weird,” White said. “It’s usually whoever catches fire and executes better at the beginning of the game who ends up with the win.

“We have the potential to do very well again this year,” he added. “But with a tough schedule we’ll need to sneak in some early wins as we learn to play together.”

Monday’s opener will be played at the Oak Ridge High School gym. Varsity plays at 6 p.m.